Rahul Dravid steps down as Rajasthan Royals head coach ahead of IPL 2026

Rahul Dravid has resigned as Rajasthan Royals head coach ahead of IPL 2026, after less than a year in charge. His exit follows IPL 2025 struggles, franchise unrest, and raises questions about Sanju Samson’s future in the squad.

New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Saturday announced that head coach Rahul Dravid has stepped down from his role with the franchise ahead of IPL 2026 season.

In September last year, Dravid was formally announced as RR’s new head coach on a multi-year contract, after ending his three-year stint with the Indian team with the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup triumph.

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In its statement, RR said that as part of a recent structural review, the franchise had offered Dravid a broader role, but the former India captain and head coach has opted not to take up the position.

“Rahul has been central to the Royals’ journey over many years. His leadership has influenced a generation of players, built strong values within the squad, and left an indelible mark on the culture of the franchise. The Rajasthan Royals, its players, and millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise,” the franchise said in its statement.

Dravid had captained RR in IPL 2012 and 2013, before being their team mentor in 2014 and 2015 seasons. His return to the RR set-up ahead of IPL 2025 had raised expectations for the franchise to win their second IPL title after winning the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008.

But RR finished at a disappointing ninth spot with just four wins in 14 league stage matches. Regular skipper Sanju Samson played only nine matches due to a side strain, with Riyan Parag being the stand-in captain when the wicketkeeper-batter was unavailable.

Now, as things stand, Dravid’s return to the RR set-up lasted less than a year, as the franchise aims to build for the 2026 IPL. IANS understands that Dravid’s exit from RR comes on the back of murmurs of differences and unrest in the set-up during the IPL 2025.

It would be interesting to see what Dravid’s next move will be in the cricketing ecosystem. From an RR perspective, it remains to be seen if Samson will continue to be in the set-up, especially after multiple reports emerged in July of him expressing a desire to be released into auction or going to another franchise in a trade deal.